1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cleaning devices and, more particularly, to a novel satellite dish cleaning apparatus and methods for removing accumulations of dust, debris, snow and/or ice from the concave facing of a satellite dish.
2. The Background Art
Cleaning implements for removing accumulations of dust, debris, water, snow and/or ice from windshields or windows to improve visual acuity and perception, from sidewalks and roadways to reduce the danger of slipping or falling, etc. have become valuable instruments or tools when dealing with the consequences of nature. Although various cleaning implements have been developed by those skilled in the art, none of the prior art cleaning devices are commercially practical for the intended purpose of removing dust, debris, snow and/or ice from the concave facing of a satellite dish.
Presently, one of the most indispensable pieces of equipment utilized within the telecommunications industry today involves orbiting satellite transmission systems having the capability of delivering visual text, graphics, scientific data, audio messages, etc. to satellite dish receivers remotely positioned throughout the world. Accordingly, the concave configuration of the facing of a satellite dish receiver is typically aligned, with some degree of precision, in an angle respective of a satellite's orbiting position in space in order to receive signals transmitted therefrom. Correspondingly, the slightest modification or negligible adjustment in the angular receiving position of the concave facing surface of the satellite dish will generally affect the strength and quality of the reception of the transmission signal being relayed by the orbiting satellite.
Since satellite dish receivers are typically installed outdoors, a satellite dish receiver is usually exposed to the unforgiving elements of nature such as, for example, dust, debris, water, snow and ice. Accordingly, when the elements of nature begin to accumulate on the exterior surface of a satellite dish, serious reception problems typically result. For example, the weight of an accumulation of debris, snow or ice will generally cause a misalignment of the satellite dish thereby resulting in poor or lost reception of the transmission signals from the orbiting satellite. Similarly, if structural damage to the support member sustaining the satellite dish of the ground occurs as a result of the excessive weight of an accumulation of debris, snow and/or ice, a substantial reduction in the reception quality of the satellite transmission system will usually result. Consistent therewith, a cleaning implement capable of removing dust, debris, snow and/or ice from the concave receiving surface of satellite dish has become a virtual necessity for maintaining maximum reception quality of a satellite receiving system.
In an attempt to facilitate receiving quality and transmission clarity, satellite owners typically use conventional brooms to remove accumulations of dust, debris, snow and/or ice from the concave facing of the satellite dish. Significantly, however, one serious disadvantage with using conventional brooms to remove dust, debris, snow and/or ice from the facing of a satellite dish is that the substantially linear configuration of the broom handle in combination with the longitudinally attached whisk portion makes almost any cleaning motion awkward and/or difficult when trying to hold the broom at a substantially vertical angle to the concave surface of the satellite dish in order to accommodate a proper contacting force against the facing of the satellite dish.
In addition, using a conventional prior art broom having a vertically extending handle member to clean the surface of a satellite dish may cause significant damage to the receiving nose cone that extends substantially outward from the facing of the satellite dish and functionally operates to receive and demodulate the transmission signals reflected by the concave facing of the satellite dish. In this regard, damage to the nose cone of the satellite system will generally affect the overall receiving and demodulating quality of the satellite system. Moreover, since the whisk of a conventional prior art broom is usually composed of a plurality of flexible fibrous materials, prior art brooms are generally incapable of removing heavy accumulations of dust, debris, snow and/or ice from the concave surface of the satellite dish.
Alternatively, scraper devices were developed by those skilled in the art to assist users when removing accumulations of snow or ice formed on relatively flat surfaces. Typically, prior art scrapers are formed of a non-resilient material having a linearly, extending blade portion mounted on a relatively short handle member. Prior art scrapers, however, are not typically formed having a complimentary configuration for cleaning the concave shape of the facing of a satellite dish. Moreover, the exterior surface of a satellite dish being typically formed of a soft metal, such as aluminum, may become seriously damaged by the scraping action of a relatively sharp edge formed on the contacting end of scrapers of the prior art.
Another practical disadvantage with prior art scrapers is the relative shortness of the handle member, thus making it difficult for a user to reach the center of the concave facing of the satellite dish to scrap debris, snow or ice therefrom. Moreover, a satellite owner utilizing conventional prior art scrapers will typically have to reach inward toward the center of the external concave surface of the satellite dish, thus frequently leaning against the body of the satellite dish and typically tilting or disturbing the precision alignment of the receiving facing of the satellite dish with the position of the orbiting satellite.
Similarly, using prior art scrapers, as generally described above, in an attempt to remove dust, debris, snow and/or ice from the internal concave facing of a satellite dish may cause the satellite owner serious injuries if the owner is compelled to lean against the sharp edges of the external periphery of the satellite dish.